It's Wintertime! Bread, Milk, and Babywearing Meetings

This post isn’t a how-to but more of a head’s up.

Our area enjoys all four seasons.  Usually during the winter months when it gets a little chilly and there is some light snow or ice, we lose our damn minds and close schools and public offices while buying milk we won’t drink (forgot about that lactose intolerance) and wait for the neighbors to also go outside to shovel out their car so it feels like an outdoor party.

A crowd of snow people

As such, when there are school delays or closings due to the weather, this will affect our meetings as well.  Some meetings will be cancelled entirely, others may start late or end early to accommodate the leader’s ability to pick up or drop off children at school.  

A list of our upcoming meetings and events can be found here https://www.facebook.com/BWIofDCMDVA/events?ref=page_internal

And we will try to update cancellations as soon as we can on the event page.    

We will also try to post on our chatter board.  In the case of inclement weather, attendees can also post and ask https://www.facebook.com/groups/BWIofDCMDVAFSOT/

If in doubt regarding the weather, please use your best judgement.  It is OK to stay home if you don’t feel comfortable out in the weather!

This is also a time of year when sniffles, colds, and coughs abound.  What should we do about illness?

Norman Rockwell painting of a boy at the doctor with his pants loose awaiting a shot

While our meetings are always open to the public, the nature of our meetings means we usually have a number of pregnant women and/or very young infants. As such if  you or members of the household have had fever, vomiting or diarrhea within 24 hours of the meeting, please stay home, rest and recuperate!   

Other symptoms of illness, like a cough or runny nose are a matter of discretion but if the germs can spread easily, it may be best to plan on attending when the worst of the cold symptoms have passed.  If this affects returning a learning library carrier, please feel free to contact us to arrange an out of meeting return.  While we are sorry not to see you, we appreciate everyone’s effort to keep each other well.

Finally,  with the gray days, indoor time and cold weather its not uncommon to feel blah this time of year.  If you want to connect online we’re just a post away in the chatter group—you don’t have to have something for sale to chatter with us!  If in person meet ups are more your thing, in addition to the regular meetings, playdates are welcome. Just post a time and place in the chatter group and you'll likely have a crowd in no time.

A ginger cat and black cat.  The ginger cat has a paw around the
shoulder of the black cat as they gaze out a window

We hope the weather doesn’t interrupt too many meetings and illness doesn’t keep too many of you away.  We look forward to wearing with you!

Photo of a casual picnic following a Tysons meeting last summer

Babywearing Cures the Common Cold!

Okay, maybe not.  But when your toddler or preschooler gets a cold and suddenly wants to be no where more than on top of you, babywearing is the answer for your little one's comfort and for your sanity.

A couple weeks ago I noticed a post on Facebook that a friend had a sick 2yr old who was being clingy and mom was getting "touched out."  I knew this mama had worn her child, but probably thought she'd "aged out."  I suggested a carrier and she said, "you know, that's a good idea, let me dust off the Ergo."  Sometimes we can dismiss babywearing as an option as our children get bigger, but really, nothing comforts babies, toddlers, or even big kids more than mama (or daddy) cuddles when they aren't feeling their best. 

It can also be a big help when you have another littler one to wear.  Sickness is exactly the time to bust out tandem wearing.  This also conveniently keeps the hands of the sick one behind you and off of the baby.

When wearing a sick little one you can monitor fevers (since they are right against you, you'll notice the temperature change), you can more easily monitor how many fluids they are taking, and you can give them the TLC they truly want without feeling like you've been trapped on the couch all day.  So, if your little one has been hit by a bug, break out your carrier and give wearing a try!